Cambell’s pours extra juice into Foodbank warehouses

March 14, 2013

Campbell’s donated 225,000 serves of vegetables to Foodbank for Australians in need to mark the official opening of its new, $14.6 million dollar PET line at its Shepparton facility in Victoria.

Chris Foley, General Manager Campbell’s Australia New Zealand, said the Company is delighted that the donation will provide a nutritious boost to the diets of many of the 2.2 million Australians living in poverty each day.

“But it’s still a fact that almost all Australians, not just those in need, struggle to consume their recommended daily intake of five serves of vegetables a day. And if you’re a male aged between 19 and 50 years, that’s just gone up to six serves a day,” he said, following the release last week of Australia’s updated dietary guidelines.

“That’s where V8 juices can help. Every 250ml glass contains up to three serves of veg and we’ve cleverly blended most varieties with fruit, which means you get the benefit of veg with the taste of fruit.”

As well as offering new, light weight packaging, the V8 PET range includes new flavours like V8 Forest Fruits Fusion with Pomegranate, and V8 Citrus Fusion with Pink Grapefruit.

Foodbank Australia will distribute the donation of V8 juices to welfare agencies across the nation over the coming weeks.

At a function held at its Shepparton factory, The Hon Peter Ryan MP, Deputy Premier of Victoria, welcomed the investment, which utilises first-of-its-kind, large-scale PET aseptic technology to manufacture the Company’s iconic V8 vegetable juice range in light-weight packaging for the first time.

“We understand the challenges of Australian-based food manufacturers needing to compete in a global marketplace,” said Mr Ryan.

“I congratulate Campbell’s for showing the foresight and commitment to make this major investment, which will help secure the future for this iconic Australian manufacturing site.”

In the past seven years, Campbell’s has invested more than $45 million upgrading its Shepparton facility, which produces more than 55,000 tonnes of some of Australia’s favourite food and beverage products each year.

This latest investment signals Campbell’s commitment to growing V8; the leading shelf-stable vegetable-based juice range that offers a great tasting solution to the nine out of 10 Australians who still do not consume their recommended intake of vegetables each day.

The Deputy Premier also congratulated the Company on its significant donation of 15,000, 1.25 litre bottles of V8 juice, representing 225,000 serves of vegetables, to Foodbank Australia.